Horrid Past, New Future
by bualsm
Summary: Harry's life is changed for the better during a Harry Hunting session when he is 7.  A young girl and her older brother take him away to a new life.  There he learns to fight for himself and not let others walk all over him.  HP/HG/OFC


**AN: I know everyone was waiting on another chapter of Hunters Moon, however I've had this other story stuck in my head forever. I've finally decided to start it in hopes that it will leave me alone so I can continue with HM. This one starts out kind of slow as there is a little build up that has to happen before things can get going. This will be a multi/Harry fic with Hermione and her cousin being with Harry. Cheers!**

Seven year old Harry Potter was having a bad day, a bad day on top of a multitude of bad days. In fact Harry couldn't ever remember having a good day. Harry has been living with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, the Dursley's, for as long as he could remember. Ever since his parents died in a drunken car crash. His aunt and uncle were both verbally and physically abusive. He had trying telling his teachers years ago, yet it didn't do any good. Well unless you count another vicious beating being good. Today Harry's cousin, Dudley, and his gang were playing their favorite game, Harry Hunting. The object of the game was to catch Harry and beat the shit out of him. As anyone could guess Harry wasn't too fond of this game. Today they were running through the park. Harry had just run past a girl about the same age as him, when he tripped and fell. Cursing as he tried to get up, he knew it was too late. He knew he was in trouble as this was the first time the gang had caught him in a long time. Harry was just too quick and agile to be caught often. The gang had just started beating on him when the most amazing thing happened. The young girl he had just past, jumped into the fray, and she jumped in swinging, well actually she was kicking but Harry wasn't too worried about semantics at this point in time. She had kicked Dudley right behind the knee, dropping the baby whale sized boy who was rolling on the ground in tears. This had the effect of stopping everyone in their tracks. The girl came up beside Harry and stood next to him glaring at the rest of the gang.

"A little unfair don't you think?" She asked, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Six on one, well six and a half if you count the fat boy on the ground."

"Well now it's six on two, you dumb bitch." Said Piers, Dudley's rat faced friend. "But that makes it even better, now we get to thrash Potter and you!"

Harry meanwhile was in shock. No-one had EVER stood up before him before. He gave up on anyone helping or ever having friends a long time ago. But this girl had just jumped in, and she didn't even know him! Harry's musing were interrupted when Piers took a swing at the girl, yelling at the rest of his friends to get Harry. For the first time in a long time Harry fought back. He wasn't going to let this girl, the first person who actually seemed to care, fight while he did nothing.

"Not this time Piers." Harry yelled, while blindsiding the boy and knocking him to the ground. With that the fight was on. At first Harry and the unknown girl were holding their own, until Dudley grabbed the girls leg from his spot on the ground. This led to the rest of the group getting to both of them as Harry tried to get Dudley to let go. Not even thinking about what his uncle would do to him later. The last time Harry hit Dudley, Harry's Uncle Vernon beat him bloody. Just as the rest of the group started really getting into beating the duo a young man in his twenties waded into the fight smacking and tossing the gang away. Seeing what they perceived as an adult interfering the gang took off. Dudley limped away while yelling at Harry. "Just wait until you get home Potter, dad will beat you bloody again!" With that the gang was away, out of the park.

Harry paled at that thought, he knew he was done for now. Uncle Vernon would probably kill him this time. Lost in his thoughts he never noticed the young girl and the man watching him. The young man walked up and held out his hand. "Hi I'm Robert, Robert Granger nice to meet you."

Harry took the mans hand while looking at him. The young man was dressed in worn out blue jeans and combat boots. His hair was long and tied back in a pony tail. He wore a jean jacket over a black t-shirt. "Hi" Harry said. "I'm Harry, Harry Potter. I'd like to thank you for your help. If it wasn't for you, we" here Harry gestured to the young girl by the mans side, "would have been beaten bloody." In an undertone Harry added, "Though I'm still going to get beaten bloody."

The young man caught it though and asked "Why is that Harry? Oh this is my sister Riley, though most people call her RPG." The girl in question smiled and gave Harry a wave.

"RPG?" Harry questioned, trying to avoid answering the other question. It wasn't so much that he was ashamed to talk about it. He just didn't see a reason to. No-one ever helped when he did talk about it, so he gave up.

"My initials" said the girl, "though Robert's friends say it's because I'm like a Rocket Propelled Grenade. They say that when I get upset I launch myself at whatever it is that's pissing me off and explode." The smile on her face when she said this made it clear she wasn't insulted by the comparison.

"Nice dodge Harry, but your not getting off that easy. Why did you say you were still going to be beaten bloody? And what did the fat boy mean about your Uncle?" Robert thought he already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from Harry's mouth.

Harry looked at them for a moment then gestured to a nearby bench. "Shall we?" he asked. Harry saw no reason to hide it from them. Beside after his Uncle killed him maybe they would tell the police what really happened to him, not whatever story his relatives dreamed up.

As Harry finished his story, he looked up from staring at his feet. The look's on his companions faces surprised him. Riley looked furious, yet had tear's rolling down her face. Robert looked, well he looked cold. And when he spoke his voice had an eerie inflection. "Harry I just can't let this go on. I don't know why or how your family has been able to get away with this, but it stop's today. How would you like to come stay with us?"

Harry looked at Robert with shock. Someone was actually willing to help him? Someone actually wanted him? Riley grabbed a hold of his arm, and Harry was pretty sure she wasn't going to let go. "But how?" Harry asked. "I mean yeah I would love to leave there, but I don't see it being possible."

"Pretty simple Harry." Robert said. "We are going to take you home. Riley will wait in the car and I'll stand right next to the door after you go in. As soon as I hear your uncle's voice I'm coming in, even if I have to kick the door down. After that I'll have a little 'talk' with your uncle, you'll get anything you want from there and we leave. Believe me there won't be any problem." Robert knew that from speaking to Harry that he was telling the truth. He also knew that his family wouldn't want the police involved and planned on using that threat to seal the deal, so to speak.

Harry looked at Robert and tentatively spoke. "Robert, I would love that; but, you need to know my Uncle is huge. He is about your height but probably weighs at least twice as much. I'm afraid he'll hurt you."

Robert smirked as he pulled something out of his pocket. "Harry do you see these?" He asked. At Harry's nod he continued. "These are called brass knuckles and I call them an equalizer. One shot with these on my hand and your Uncle won't be getting up anytime soon."

Harry looked at Robert, then Riley and for the first time in a long time felt hope. The way he figured it, the worse that would happen is he wouldn't die until later. The best would be he would be gone from that place forever. He felt he really had nothing to lose. "OK Robert, in that case yes please, anything to get away from those people."

Robert smiled and Riley jumped up and down, laughing. For the first time since Harry had met her, she was acting like the little girl she was. Then she grabbed his arm and started dragging him away. He assumed she was taking him to their car and was soon proved correct. Robert caught up to them, chuckling the whole way. Soon the trio was on their way to change Harry's future, for the better.

Harry walked into the living room to see his cousin smirking at him from the couch. "Your going to get it now freak. Your friends aren't here to protect you now." Dudley's words weren't even finished before Vernon started bellowing.

"Freak! What do you think your doing attacking poor Dudley like that?" Vernon's words covered the sound of the front door banging open as Robert kicked it in. "What do you think your doing? Get out of my house!" There was no chance in hell that the whole neighborhood didn't hear the fat man yelling.

Robert's reply stopped Vernon cold. "Well fat man, I'm here to make sure you don't lay another hand on Harry here."

"Get out of my house before I call the police." Vernon's voice was much quieter now, and tinged with an edge of fear.

"Don't worry WE will be leaving as soon as Harry gets his stuff." Robert replied, voice cold. "Harry go ahead and go to your room and get your stuff."

"Uh, Robert," Harry started, very embarrassed. "My room is the cupboard right there." Harry said, pointing to the cupboard under the stairs.

You could see the anger rising on Robert's face as he looked from the cupboard, to Harry, back to the cupboard, to Vernon. With a yell of rage, Robert turned and kicked the door of the cupboard in. The thin wood shattered, and the hinges snapped. Robert had seen the lock on the outside and had no doubts Harry was locked inside. It seemed the boy had left a few things out of his explanation.

Vernon growled and charged towards Robert, who heard the growl and the thundering footsteps long before the man got close. Turning and bringing his fist, glittering with the brass knuckles, around in a large, roundhouse swing, he met Vernon's charge and dropped him with a crash, his jaw shattered. Robert still in a rage, grabbed the man by his shirt and tie and drug him to his feet. The hand, with the added weapon, lashed out twice, hitting Vernon in the right side. Knowing that the fat kept the ribs from breaking as he hoped, Robert struck again, this time on the left. Hearing a crack this time, Robert dropped the man, knowing he broke at least one of his ribs.

While Robert was taking care of Vernon, Dudley charged Harry, blaming him for the beating his father was taken. Harry however, wasn't taking it anymore. Six years of being beaten and bullied was unleashed in a fury. When Robert finally grabbed him and pulled him off Dudley, Harry was sure he had broken the boys nose and removed a few of his teeth. Pushing Harry towards his cupboard, Robert surveyed their work. He was actually pretty happy with the way things had gone. He knew it was good for Harry to finally be able to fight back. It would serve him well in the future. If the abuse had continued, Harry would have let anyone and everyone walk all over him, without ever trying to stick up for himself.

Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, Robert reached out and grabbed a woman by the back of her dress and tossed her onto the couch. This must be Harry's aunt, Petunia, who the hell named this woman?

"What do you think your doing woman?" Robert snapped out. The woman had been heading towards Harry's back.

"What are you going to do hit a woman?" Petunia shrieked. "You come in here with that freak, beat my Vernon, and let that THING, hit my poor Dudley."

"First of all your no woman." Robert snapped out. "You're a child abusing bitch, which means I have no problems beating the hell out of you if you get anywhere near Harry. Anyone who hurt's a child the way you have, has no defense against anything I would do to you." Turning to Harry, who had a small bundle in his hands, he asked. "Are you done Harry? Is that all you have?"

With an embarrassed nod, Harry answered. "Yes Robert this is it, they never bought me any clothes. All I ever got were hand me downs from Dudley. You can see by his size that they wouldn't fit me. This is all I have that I can wear." Harry said, holding up the small bag of clothing.

"Where do you think your going freak!" Petunia shrieked with a look between fear and loathing.

"I'm taking Harry out of here. You obviously don't care for him or want him, well we do. We can and will take better care of him than you ever did." Robert's reply was filled with both venom and caring. The caring way he looked at Harry as he spoke the last part was in stark contrast to the way he was looking at Petunia in the beginning.

"He can't leave!" Said Petunia with fear. "He has to stay here, this is his home."

Harry and Robert both looked at her like she was nuts. "No." Robert said. "This is no place for him. Hell this is no place for anyone." With that he put his hand on Harry's shoulder and guided him out the door.

As they were driving away Harry looked at Robert and said. "Home, that has never been my home, more like my prison. My home is where ever you guy's take me. Anyplace has to be better than that." Unbeknownst to him, Harry's words had far reaching effects. In a castle, in Scotland, in the office of a stupid old man, a silver device sputtered and died. Sadly there was no-one there to see it. Since it was the summer, the occupant of the office was out enjoying his time off, not knowing that all the plans he had were now ashes in the wind. Harry Potter would disappear for the next four years. And in those four years, changes would take place in him that would change the world forever.

The first thing Robert did was sit down and talk with Harry. "Harry" he began "I'm sure things are going to be a little weird for all of us at first, but I want you to know that if you ever need anyone to talk to I'm here for you. Now I would like to get to know a little more about you, so tell me what do you like to do?"

Harry looked at him strangely for a moment, then began "Robert the only thing I EVER do is read. At the Dursley's if I wasn't doing chores, I was locked in my cupboard. At school if I spent time on the playground then Dudley and his gang would get me, so I spent my time in the library. I've never had anyone to play with, or do things. Anyone that tried to be my friend either Dudley would scare them off, or Uncle Vernon wouldn't let me go near them anymore." By the time he finished speaking Harry was almost whispering.

Robert thought about it for a moment then just said. "I thought you were a lot like Riley, you don't talk like a kid, you talk like she does, grown up like. OK we are going to have to find things you like to do. Also I'm going to start teaching you how to take care of yourself in a fight. You've spent too long just having to take what happens to you, we are going to change that. Also tomorrow we are going to take you out and get you some clothes."

Harry started to object when Robert cut him off. "Harry, it's not a big deal. I've got the money and you don't have much of a choice. Don't make me get RPG in here." The last was said with a smile, so Harry wasn't too worried. Until he heard Riley's voice from the other room. "Yay! Shopping!"

The next day before they headed out Riley asked what kind of clothes Harry wanted. Having never been asked before, never having a choice before, Harry didn't know. But after thinking about it for a moment, Harry decided that he liked what Robert was wearing. While he was trying to sleep the night before, Harry had thought about all the things that had happened, and through it all was the way Robert handled himself. Harry decided that he wanted to be that confident, that he wanted to be like Robert. So in having chosen his role model, he decided the first step was to dress like him. That decided the whirlwind shopping spree began.

Over the next several weeks Harry learned much about the people he was living with. Robert and Riley's parents had died several year's ago due to a car crash, ironically. The family had left them well off as both parents were lawyers and had left their entire estate to their children. And while the estate wouldn't support them forever, it did leave them enough to possibly invest for the future. Robert took a portion of his inheritance and bought a small dojo, where he taught and was taught Mixed Martial Arts. Another portion of his inheritance was invested a little more dubiously. While in school Robert had gotten into the drug scene. For a while he was a heavy user, until a close brush with death scared him straight. However, he had made lots of friends on both sides of the tracks and used his money to start dealing in small quantities. He actually kept to prescription medications for the simple fact that he dealt with a better class of people. That was actually the reason that he and Riley were in the park that day. His supplier moved around a lot, and this time had wanted to meet at the park.

Riley was about as atypical a seven year old that you could find. She was very smart and loved to read, yet calling her a bookworm was likely to turn Riley into RPG. Robert had been teaching her for the past couple of years to take care of herself. She was a pretty girl with long brown hair and startling blue eyes. And by the way she dressed you would never have guessed that she was into reading, you would more expect to find HER dealing on the street corner. Jeans and t-shirts were the choice wear, and though she wore make-up already, Robert made sure she didn't over do it. He had ran with enough of a rough crowd to know woman who wore too much make-up and the reputations they got from those. Sadly after a while those reputations came true, or know one would believe they weren't true. He wasn't going to let his sister go down that road. She was way too smart, like their parents to end up in that scene.

As the house was only two bedrooms Harry and Riley shared a room and eventually the same bed. For the first week he was there, Harry had nightmares every night where he would wake up screaming. He could never remember them, but he was always shook up afterwards. Riley would crawl into bed with him to calm him down and they would both fall back to sleep. Eventually Riley gave up sleeping in her own bed and just stayed in Harry's. Robert didn't have a problem with is as they were both too young for him to worry about anything. He even went out and bought them a larger bed to make things a little more comfortable.

About three week's into his stay there, Harry woke up to a terrible pain in his chest. What really scared him was that he was floating above the bed. Riley woke to his screaming and started screaming herself. When Robert crashed into the room he was amazed at the sight. Harry was floating about three feet above the bed with Riley hanging onto him for dear life. What none of them knew was that when Harry was at the Dursley's, there was a constant drain on his magic to keep the wards up. Without that drain Harry's magic had finally recovered enough that it was straining against the block on his magical core. Since the meddling old man, who thought he knew best, didn't want his weapon to be too powerful, he blocked part of Harry's magic. Now though, Harry had more magic than he had room for and it was pushing against the block. All of a sudden there was a bright flash and Harry and Riley dropped to the bed. Harry was covered in sweat and groaning as Robert rushed to the bed.

"What the hell was that?" Robert asked.

"I think it was something like what happens to me when I get really upset." Riley replied with a smile. She wasn't so different after all. She had always worried that there was something wrong with her. Strange things always happened when she got upset.

Robert saw her smile and smiled back. He knew his little sister was worried about the things that happened to her and that she felt there was something wrong with her. He felt better than ever about his decision to take Harry that day. Giving his little sister peace of mind was worth anything to him, and helping the young boy out at the same time was like having your cake and eating it to.

Riley and Robert explained to Harry what they thought was going on. Harry confessed to having strange things happen to him as well. He also explained that that was one of the reasons the Dursley's always called him a freak, because freaky things seemed to happen around him.

The group settled into living together and soon became family. Robert talked with Harry, and with his permission got permanent custody of him through the courts. It wasn't hard as one of the judges was a regular customer and had no problem signing off on the paperwork for some free product. Then came the day that would change everything, the day that Harry met Robert and Riley's cousin, Hermione.


End file.
